The Budding Rose
by Moon Witch '96
Summary: Sometimes, at a young age, incredible things happen and life is never the same. Perhaps, you move to a strange place, perhaps a pet dies... For Rose Tyler she meets this alien, mad man with a box named the Doctor. And her life is never the same. Inspired by Lumendea's The Blonde Girl. Please read and review!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_ Rose Tyler had first met The Doctor when she had been twelve years old. It had been an accident, really, how it had happened, just a happening of fate. Because of it, her life and time-line had become that much more intertwined with his as she had grown up, and she had seen him again each year, until her fifteenth, something that neither the centuries old Timelord and twentieth first century estate girl could have predicted. They met again, oddly enough, with a sense of deja vu filling her, when she was nineteen. She hadn't meant for it, honestly, but, as she looked back now, she could tell one thing for sure... It had been the best mistake she, and he, had ever made._


	2. The Nots: Run

**The Nots: Run**

_1998_

It had been an average afternoon, one of those summer days in London where your skin was slick to the point to drive you to utter madness. The sheer heat was enough to kill over a dozen brain cells, and you knew that every AC was broken within a ten thousand mile radius of the city. No storm clouds or buckets of rains made the day dramatic, as she would have thought on such a life altering day as that one, no, just a dry little day with not a even a white cloud in sight.

Odd in itself around London, but not really an indicator that wonderful, terrible things could happen. Just a day to laze around and feel generally stupid. The sun blazed and the air above the black asphalt would haze and distort with the intensity of it, and the smog of the city created a slight yellow tint to said haze. The cars honked outside the window, the air smelled slightly like the smog, and she ate crisps quietly, ignoring the nagging voice in her head that mentioned she shouldn't eat so soon before lunch.

Rose Marion Tyler stared at the telly, the bright bangs and flashes of whatever cartoon that was on held just a little bit of her attention, as most of her minimal brain power on a day like this was focused on the sole act of not shutting down in the warmness the day provided(something that she wasn't really good at doing). And keeping her bum from sticking to the leather armchair her mum had instead on buying. It had been a bad idea to sit in the chair in the first place, but she found that the chair was the best spot to view the telly... And that she was too drowsy to even think of moving more than reaching over to bring crisp after crisp to her mouth.

Her mum at that moment was chattering around on the phone, as she always did, sipping boxed wine pleasantly as she made them lunch. Rose vaguely registered her loud, sharp voice along with the cacophony of everything, which was a sort of mushed together, dulled to simple sound in her head. The sounds of vegetables on the chopping board rang out more than anything, and Rose thought for a hazed second that the poor vegetable people sacrificed themselves needlessly for her mum's... Adventurist cooking.

"Oh bugger.."muttered her mother suddenly, banging around the cupboards as they had personally insulted something vital to her. It made Rose look over with her large hazel eyes, half lidded in her sleepy state.

But Rose still watched her with keen eyes as her mother grew more frantic, and almost groaned with protest when her mother turned to her. The phone was still against her ear, and in her arms she stirred vigorously at a bowl. Some sort of sauce no doubt. But she knew she was about to ask for something that she had forgotten to buy or needed for whatever she was making today. She sighed, mentally preparing herself to get up.

"Rose, be a dear and go down to the store and get some pepper. My wallet is in my purse... Just the pepper."said her mother plainly, a little sternly to the end, her own blue eyes narrowing.

"Got it mum."she said softly, getting up gingerly, and with a wince, adjusting her shorts as she got off the slick chair. As much as she wanted to stay in the chair, getting her mother upset would be more energy wasted than getting the pepper.

She made a show of getting only the right amount for buying the pepper when her mother turned to her, and switched off the telly quickly, kissing her mother when she asked for it, and stuffed the coins in her pocket. She was about to leave, her mother's familiar voice floating as she talked to her friend, and she was just about the door when her mother called out to her. Rose turned back, raising a brow at her mum.

When her mother paused in her conversation, and hung up the phone, her blonde brows furrowing and her mouth twitching downwards in displeasure, Rose thought maybe she had taken a quid too many. But her mum got that worried look in her eyes, and Rose raised her brow again. It was a frantic look that her mother often held, but there was also something new stirring beneath her blue eyes. It looked almost like fear.

"Come straight home, yeah? Funny things going around lately with the kids, and look for Mickey today, make him walk you."she said her brows furrowing further.

When her mum said funny things, that usually meant bad things. So Rose took it to heart and made sure mentally to keep an eye out as she stepped out. She did not however,go looking for Mickey... Funnily, as it always happened, Rose never really set out to find one Mickey Smith, but Mickey Smith did however, find Rose with quite accuracy that should concern her. The older boy always seemed to find her. At the moment he simply called out her name happily, his taller frame daunting as he ran up to her. His smile was huge and the seventeen year old's brilliant white teeth flashed in the sun.

"Mum let you loose for once?" he asked causally, his tall shadow giving her a slight relief against the heat, and almost as comforting as his familiar face. His dark eyes glittered in a brotherly way as he carefully ruffled her hair.

She snorted at his words, knowing full well that while her mother was over protective to madness, Rose was more than able to move about freely if she so chose too. Her mum may be a nag, but she wasn't one to smoother her either. Tylers' were a strong bunch, or so her mother said. It was something she said when talking about her father, in a wispy sort of voice that sounded both hopeful and sad.

"Nope. Getting pepper. You're my escort."she said simply, popping the 'p' in nope. She smacked away his hand, and straightened her long locks calmly, ignoring how they stayed close to her slick skin.

He made a face, looking down at the younger girl with a scrunched nose. It was an expression he wore often when he was talking about her mum. She called it his mum's face(Or at least she did so in her head).

"You're mum's such a slave driver... I mean, the other day she had me fixing her washer, and now I have to watch you."he said teasingly, ruffling her long hair fondly again.

"Oi! That's twice now..."she muttered brushing away his hand.

"So sorry Princess."he laughed, and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Cheeky bugger, aren't you?"she asked matter-factually. Mickey only rolled his own eyes, and grabbed her wrist gently, leading the way with a confidence and a glared suspiciously at anyone who so much as gave the pair of childhood friends a second glance.

The rest of the walk to the store wasn't special, only a ten minute walk to the small market, one that both had made a thousand times without the other, and together. The smiling teenager working the register gave her a simpering voice and attitude, and Mickey a wink as she paid, her dull eyes blinking rapidly. They chatted for a second, a mile a minute. The line behind them began to grow, and Rose knew that the if she just left him be, they would just continue for forever.

Rose only rolled her eyes again, and dragged her teenage friend out of the market before he could do something that would keep her there forever. She could never really understand boys, or people for that matter, and the need to stand around and chat a person up was strange to her. They cut through their old primary school's playground to save a little time, the sudden setting sun taking them both by surprise, and making them anxious to get home again. In hindsight, Rose knew she should have noticed that the sun was nowhere near setting...

It was as they walked together, past the rusted swings and decrypted jungle gym that Rose noticed the old, dirty graffiti that had been on the brick walls of the old clothes shop next to the school's playground since as long as she could remember. She had always seen it, and it was only until today that she had ever really registered what they said.

"Ever wonder what that means?"she, asked, pointing at the words, 'BAD WOLF', written out in bold, shimmering, gold letters. When she got no answer, Rose turned, annoyed at him ignoring her, which he had done for the past five minutes, probably thinking about the market girl.

Her eyes met only empty, dusty playground instead of the rather large boy that had been holding onto her shoulder not a moment ago.

"Mickey?"she called out, annoyance in her tone. That git was playing a trick on her again, he always did, it was no wonder he was named as he was. He always seemed to be taking the 'mickey' out of her.

She got no answer, and she huffed in frustration. Mickey may have been older, but Rose felt half the time the teenager was more of a child than she was. He did these stupid pranks and whenever she felt like pranking back he did nothing but complain. But as she looked around the old playground, Rose felt a shiver go down her spine, watching as just a single swing moved back and forth.

Rose stared, feeling not a even a whisper of wind on her skin.

The scraggly trees were still, and the air was still hot and stiffing as she looked around for her friend a little more desperately. But the swing still swayed, the movements becoming more and more frenzied as a soft, desperate giggle escaped her mouth.

"Hahaha Mickey, very funny, now come out! You know my mum would kill me if I don't get home soon!"she called out, trying to keep her voice from shaking. The sky was truly getting dark now, and as she looked down at her watch, the numbers 1:52 pm mocked her.

The swing suddenly squealed to a stop, and as the rusted thing suddenly clattered to the ground, and then Rose saw it. It was small at first, just a blip of white in front of her, sort of like a roll of old clay on the fallen metal swing seat. But it grew, and grew, the white little blip formed lumps that rapidly formed fingers, and toes, growing, growing. A large lump began at the top, dark blonde hair started to grow at the top from there, and as Rose watched, sensing the sheer wrongness in the air, she took a hurried step back, but even moving away only made the thing grow faster. So she stayed stocked still, watching with a sort of curious horror as it just kept growing. Then, with a loud, and terrible crunch, the growing stopped.

Smiling across from her, taking step by step as she jumped off the fallen swing seat, somehow alike in every way, but _wrong_ in ever sense was a little girl that looked just like her. Down to the swaying,pig-tails and the large, tongue-in-teeth grin, the girl _was_ Rose. She even wore the same thing, from her pink scrunchies to her scuffed up trainers. But there was something off about the way she moved, and _**was **_(other than the fact that Rose was here, and the Not-Rose was there), like a snake in too old skin, or a jacket that didn't quite fit one's arms anymore.

"Who's afraid of the Big Baaaad Wolf? Whoo's afraaaaid of the Big Baaad Wolf? NOT ME*!"Screeched the Not-Rose, the smile making the skin of her cheeks go taunt and start to tare.

"Get back! Don't you come anywhere near me!"said Rose quietly, her voice, despite her best attempt, shaking and small. The song made her so scared, that stupid taunt that made no bloody sense scared her in a way that made her scramble back, tripping over her feet like an idiot.

The Not-Rose just giggled, and smiled. A tiny thing that made Rose shiver and her hands sweat. She still stalked closer, movements both jerky and with intent as it got closer, and closer.

"Who's afraid of the big Baaaad Woooolf? Who's afraid? Nooot ME!"she sang, happily, eyes creasing into small slits in her sheer amount of joy, her tongue in her teeth with her smile. It was an expression Rose wore whenever she was utterly happy, but somehow on the Not-Rose's face it looked so wrong and ugly that it made her want to cry.

"Mickey you idiot, WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME!?"Rose screamed, watching as the creature got closer, its legs dragging, giggling like mad, still singing at the top of her lungs that song that terrified her. She backed away lifting the plastic bag full of the single pepper bottle in her right hand, thinking she could at least chuck it at it and buy herself some time to run.

It laughed its terrible little giggle, smile growing as it inched closer, the skin ripped straight through, as if at the seams, as the smile grew and grew to jack-o-lantern potential. Clear purple stuff started oozing down the side of her chin and neck. Rose gulped and raised the pepper high over her head with her right hand. If she was going down, she was going down fighting.

Suddenly, she felt a slightly chilled, rough set of fingers grip her left hand in a gentle, but firm hold on her own fingers. The hand was enormous, completely covering her own. She looked up, her mouth opening and ready to scream to high heaven, when a pair of striking blue eyes met her own. Her mouth shut.

They were the kind of eyes that looked straight at through you and within you, chilled and measuring... But not unkind. Those eyes were set in the face of older man, maybe a little older than her mum, with these huge ears and a long, crocked nose. The man then smiled, a great big thing that would have made her smile if she wasn't so scared. It was the kind of face that if it weren't for that smile, would be completely overlooked. It the face that she would have never thought to be important to her ...

The man said one word... Just one word:

"Run."

And Rose did just that, being tugged along by the man(dragged really, this bloke could _run_), yelling out in alarm as the Not-Rose lunged after them, hissing a reptilian hiss as they escaped her by inches.

"NOT FAIR!"cried out the girl, and when Rose turned to look at her, she saw her copy stomp her feet.

"Who are you?!"Rose screamed at the strange man, beyond bewildered as the copy chased after them.

"Come on, run!"he said in answer, dragging her along. He tossed some strange yellow fluff behind him, grinning madly, and the Not screamed. She turned her attention in front of her, desperately trying not to trip and die in the process.

"I AM!"

"Set of pipes in you..." muttered the strange man.

Suddenly, everything was bright and the sun was back. The man stopped running, and he looked behind them. His brows furrowed and he looked faintly put out.

"Bugger, too long without the host in the pod. Should have grabbed it." he said, tugging on his rather large ear. He rubbed his sheered head, muttering to himself, looking rather rueful.

Rose stared.

"What happened to Mickey?"she asked, voice small and eyes wide. The strange man stopped in his mutterings and looked down at her. For a clear second, it seemed as if he had forgotten she was there.

"Who?"he asked, genuinely puzzled.

"MICKEY! Tall bloke with a stupid gob and was holding my shoulder not five minutes ago!"she snapped, eyes hard at he bemused man.

He shrugged. Just a simple movement of his shoulders, and it made a shiver go down Rose's spine. The tall man reached into his leather jacket, and for second all she could do was blink as his entire arm went through the inside pocket. He took out something strange, with flashing lights. He poked at it for a second, before he tsked. He stuffed it back in his pocket with a disgruntled look, before he turned to stare at her.

"Stay away from Ricky from now on. For you're own good."he said, and then, without another word he turned to leave.

"Oi! You can't just swan off! My friend's missing, and you're a person of interest! Something that looked just like me attacked me! And his name is Mickey!"she howled after him. The strange leather clad man stopped in his tracks.

He turned around a frown on his thin lips. Rose's chest heaved, her fist clenched at her side. She ignored the tears that were ready to fall, and focused her attention at the man that had saved her. His keen eyes looked back intently. Something in them made her feel very small.

"What's your name?"he asked, a smile suddenly appearing on his lips. She blinked at the sudden change in his expression.

"Rose."

He blinked for a second, tilting his head to the side. Something in his eyes measured and flashed at her name.

"Well Rose, trust me when I say this, Ricky is no longer your friend. Stay away from him. He's not safe, and you should go home with your mummy and daddy and stay there. Try to stay close to adults at all times... If not you could get hurt."and with that, he turned around, heading for the oddest blue box she had ever seen.

Rose started after him, her heart sinking, before he popped right back out of the blue box, smiling again.

"I'm the Doctor by the way... Now run for your life!"he said firmly, and the door of the blue box slammed shut.

Rose thought about running up and slamming against the door and demanding help. She thought of breaking it down somehow and getting answers. But then she thought again of that laugh, and of the song that the Not-Rose had sung. She shivered, something inside her telling her to run. It sounded curiously like Mickey. And with one last look at the box, Rose turned tail and ran. She ignored the strange sound that echoed out from the alley the 'Doctor' had brought her too, and she just ran.

She ran and she ran, not really looking back and trying to get her bearings to where she was. She was a little farther than she had thought, and she wondered how she hadn't noticed that she had run so much with the Doctor. She was very far away from her flat, and getting there was going to take a while. She gulped, and then promptly let out a wail of frustration.

Mickey was gone, and evidently, if she were to ever see him again, she should avoid going near him. She thought back to the Not-Rose, and wondered if the person she would see in his place was a Not-Mickey. The thought made her stomach turn, and as she looked around her, she knew that she shouldn't linger. She started running again, her heart thundering as she thought back to Mickey, her loyal friend that could find her anywhere. She was just suppose to forget about him, and the thought of that simply made her stomach turn.

So deeply engaged in her thoughts, Rose ran straight into a man wearing a large duster, and they nearly fell in the process. He caught her easily, 'round the waist and laughing slightly as if he found being nearly knocked over by a twelve year old funny. He settled himself easily on the balls of his feet, recovering from the near spill with the ease of a very athletic man. His hand's settled on her shoulder's, large and completely covering.

"Whoa kid, slow dow-..."started the man, in a clear American accent, tone cheerful. He stopped abruptly, looking down at her with wide eyes.

Rose looked up at the tall man, ignoring the tears that leaked down her face. He himself looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Can you walk me home?"she asked, blurting out the question without really thinking. His expression shifted, suddenly, his eyes eyes squinting.

"Why?"he asked, letting her go and adjusting his long coat. He looked beyond nervous, and strangely, almost flustered as he looked at her.

"I... I dunno. I... Never mind."she said, wondering why she had asked a complete stranger to do such a thing. She was just that freaked she suppose, and the words of the Doctor to stay near adults were echoing in her head.

He looked at her, his brown brows furrowing. He looked conflicted.

"Just this once kid."he said suddenly, and he held out his hand. She stared.

Rose knew that she shouldn't take his hand. Her mother had told her constantly the dangers of strangers, but maybe it was because this man was handsome, and looked so normal that Rose couldn't help but trust him. She felt that she needed normal. She took his hand, large and calloused. It felt... Comfortable. Almost, but not _quite _familiar.

His hand squeezed her's tightly for a second. It was a comforting sort of thing and Rose wiped away her tears. Breathing deep and centering herself, she looked up to see his blue eyes looking at her intently. They were kind of like the Doctor's. Old in a young face, but the man's eyes were dark and not like ice blue, and there was kindness in them that didn't seem strange. She squeezed back, and he gave her a winning smile that just glowed, and may have made her cheeks flush just a bit.

"Come on."

Without another word, he took her home. She had no idea how he knew, but the man took her right to her building without asking where it was, and walked her up to the door of her flat. When she turned to ask him how he knew, the hat he had been wearing came over her eyes.

"See ya around... Rosie."he said firmly, softly, as if he was afraid he would give away some great secret.

When she lifted up his odd Captain's cap, the stranger was gone. And she knew for certain that she had never spoken her name.


	3. The Nots: Little Red And The Bad Wolf

**The Nots: Little Red and The Bad Wolf**

_1998_

The next morning, she woke up out of sorts. For a wild second, she thought that maybe it all had been a dream, after all, it couldn't be anything but. Doppelgangers and weird Doctors, friendly strangers and Mickey... Things like that just don't happen outside of the telly and books, right? But then she caught sight of the beat up old captain's hat on her bedside table, and Rose knew that it hadn't been. She blinked, reaching out to grab it, her hands closing around the soft and worn material. It smelled like leather and age, and maybe a sort of scent that belonged to the man, a cologne that was nearly girly.

"Rose, breakfast!"

She got dressed on auto-pilot, throwing together the first thing she could find. A tank top and an old, worn pair of jeans that were a little short for her legs. She, with some hesitation, put on the hat that had belonged to the handsome stranger. It felt odd on her head, and slipped somewhat passed her ear's and into her eyes. She lifted it up and kept it on all the same. She couldn't quite name why she did so, it was just something about the hat that made her want to keep it with her.

"Rose!"

"Coming!"she called out, and she looked around and thought about Mickey...

She quickly went to breakfast, ignored her mother's grumbling over how long she had taken yesterday getting the pepper, and ran back to her room as soon as she could. Her mother had squinted at the hat, and she had lied quickly and said that Miceky had given it to her, trying to ignore the lump in her throat when her mother had rolled her eyes. Nausea had rolled in her stomach, and Rose had rushed to the loo to avoid mucking up the carpet. Luckily she didn't actually vomit, but it was close thing.

She wanted her childhood friend back. She wanted to have him holding her hand and being daft as always. She wanted Mickey here. But she wasn't going to get her answers by standing around and moping. She stood, and went to her room, and thought about her mum. She thought about the fact that something had taken his place and had nearly taken her's. She thought of the song that had made her so scared she had hardly been able to move until the Doctor had taken her hand. But mostly she thought about the way Mickey's hand had felt on her shoulder before he had vanished.

Warm and large, comfortable and normal to her. There was no way in hell that Rose Marion Tyler was going to allow some stupid monster take that away from her. Luckily her mum had already left for work, and though she would be back by twelve to set up her make shift beauty shop, Rose had a sense that she wasn't going to notice her being gone until lunch. Writing a note to her mum about being sorry, and packing up her school bag with a few supplies that might be useful(money, extra clothes, water bottles, rope, and a box of granola bars and an extra large bag of crisps she had horded in her room) she moved to leave her house, intent on getting answers, the pack heavy on her back, and her dad's old cricket bat heavier in her hands...

She almost didn't go. She stopped by the door, it already open, and thought to the uncomfortable hot and sticky leather armchair. She just had to simply turn around and turn on the telly. She would ignore the Not-Mickey. She would stick to adults. She would be safe. But Mickey, smiling brightly to her came to mind.

She left the flat without so much as a backwards glance.

**~BW~DW~BW~DW~BW~ **

Rose stuck to the more populated parts of the estate, places she knew that mostly kids would linger. Familiar faces questioned but didn't pry about the pack on her back or the bat in her hands. That was one of the decent things about the Estate, no one really looked twice at the other, no matter how eccentric they looked. Sure, people weren't always the best in this area, and Rose was no stranger to vagrants or junkies that stayed in the parks at night, but most people were just struggling families that needed quick, cheap housing. Most were friendly and it was a tight-knit community that kept took care of their own when they could.

But as Rose looked around her, she wondered if so many people, whom she and Mickey both had known for so long could really not know of Mickey's disappearance... Or really taken what she supposed the not-Mickey so easily in stride. The not-Rose had felt so _wrong_, surely the not-Mickey too? But then again, she didn't know if Mickey had been replaced, but she wasn't all that eager to see the other 'Not'. She swore, if she saw it near Mickey's Gran she would yuck up her breakfast and last night's supper or take a swing at it. Possibly both. Most likely both...

Instead Rose focused on finding anything usual around the Estate. She asked around, careful of her questions and consistent. She didn't make much progress. All the kids she could see felt right, nothing out of place... It was frustrating really. She tugged at the hat that the 'Captain' as she had begun to call him, had given her. The smell of warm leather(heated up by the buttery sunlight), and age was comforting, and when she rested slightly in an alleyway she brought it to her nose and breathed. It was like smelling her mum's perfume, familiar somehow and made her think of home. Tears leaked into her eyes, and she couldn't really keep them away.

She looked at her battered trainers, sniffing. She felt stupid. She was twelve for Pete's sake, what would she do against the Nots? Hit them with a cricket bat? She had been petrified at the the Rose-Not, hadn't moved an inch. What would be different this time?

"Hello, Rose."she jumped, and looked at the familiar voice, bat jerking up as she scrambled to her feet.

_Mickey_.

For a second, she jerked forward, pleasure at seeing his face overriding logic. Then she stopped, he was smiling at her, that same smile that he had always directed at her. It looked wrong. Like a snake in an old skin... She jerked back, eyes flying wide as she lifted her cricket bat. Her knees buckled, but she gritted her teeth and tore her legs apart into a wide stance. The Not-Mickey simply kept smiling, his dark eyes glittering with something foreign that made a shiver crawl down her spine.

"What's wrong Rose?"he asked, still smiling, and she could see the corners of his mouth beginning to split, purple ooze gathering there. She ignored how her stomach turned and snarled.

"Where is he?"she asked, shaking the bat at him. The smile only grew.

"Who?"he asked, sounding so innocent, like Mickey before a prank, so obviously lying. But at the same time it was like the Not was mocking Mickey's personality.

She ground her teeth.

"Mickey you stupid Not."she hissed, and was pleased when it jerked back in surprise.

"You got away then, you let my sister die."he sounded simply disappointed, as if he had been denied a sweet. She nodded, and lifted her bat as she watched the ooze dribble down his chin.

She ignored the dizzying relief that her Not was dead. But at the same time, she felt a twinge of guilt crawl down her spine. Something... Had died.

"Where's Mickey?"

He tilted his head to the side, like a curious bird. A curious bird that made her skin crawl, like a reptile really.

"Still a child despite his age, and that made it work with me and him. He tastes good. A little stiff and dry, but good. His energy is lively enough."said the Not, laughing slightly. He stepped forward.

Rose stepped back, and realized her mistake the second it smiled even wider, splitting his lips until she saw the side of his gums. She took another step back without meaning, and nearly cried out. He knew that she didn't want him near her. He stepped forward again, his long legs ideal for closing the distance. She kept backing up, not wanting that thing near her... Then she hit the wall, and she shivered in her red tank top, and wished she had brought a jacket...

"You wore red... Little Red-riding Hood a story here on your planet is it not? Let me tell you something... The Bad Wolf is in."he hissed, and she stilled.

Her eyes narrowed, something in her snapping.

"I don't think so."she hissed, and when he got close, she took a shot in the dark... And thrust her cricket bat between his legs, just as her mother had taught her.

He went down with a howl of pain. She grinned, and hit him over the head. _Hard_. She reached for the rope in her bag, and started wind it around his stunned arms and legs. He was on his stomach, hissing and snarling, snapping at her if she got to close. She stood on his back, and pressed her bat into his spine. She pressed hard until he snarled out in pain.

"Whose the Bad Wolf now?!"she said, and she relieved the pressure. The Not-Mickey panted.

"Bloody brat."

"Tell me about Mickey or you get the bat again."she hissed.

"Now this is something you don't see every day, an adult Chalin tied up and a little ape on top of it."said a man's voice, and somehow, she didn't find it strange that the man that called himself Doctor was leaning against the wall, eyeing them both with a large smile.

The Not hissed, struggling against his bounds.

"I'm not an ape, I'm human."she said crossly, eyes narrowing at the man.

"Same difference."

He stared at her, eyes measuring and careful. She stared back. He was the picture of casual, but there was something deep and dark in his light eyes. This man wasn't what he appeared to be, and she stared at him with a light unease. He had saved her life, but at the same she didn't know what he was here for.

"Now, I have to ask, what part of 'run for your life' did you not understand?"he asked, and he seemed vaguely annoyed.

She rolled her eyes.

"The part where this Not-Mickey gets to stick around."she said, and watched as he raised his brow.

"Not-Mickey?"

"This Changeling or whatever."she said, poking it in the back of its head with the cricket bat. It hissed.

He grinned, his eyes slightly lighter as if he found her funny.

"Chalin. Seventh and final stage of life, energy suckers, needs a constant and steady source of energy. It likes younger lifeforms simply because they're easy to capture and delicious on their count... They are however, illegally entering a budding planet, you do know that your home planet has plenty of species in which it can bond with right?"

The 'Chalin' snorted.

"Please, home meals are always so eager to let us become them. It so regular to them, they've evolved to have two selves so that we can both live in harmony! The hunts on Cha are so boring."

"Ah. So you came to Earth out of boredom. Quite right, Cha is dull as a doorknob."said the Doctor understandably, nodding. Rose stared.

This man was insane and she was on top of an alien Doppelganger of her best friend!

"Exactly! So, a few of my siblings wanted to have a good time, heard that Earth was not to be interfered with, and took a crack because really, who would check this dump for any Chalin? Lovely place, horrible dominant species though."he finished sullenly, like a child, and Rose dug the cricket bat with a hiss of her own.

"They get the bloody off my planet! It's blooming and stuff, off limits!"

It whined at her when she put up the pressure, and she was surprised when the Doctor grabbed her hands. It was a gentle, but firm hold, but his eyes were narrowed and dangerous.

"That isn't the way to get answers."

She frowned, and looked at the bat.

"But he's eatin' Mickey."she whispered, and she was horrified to feel tears coming back into her eyes.

He grabbed her waist, and lifted her easily, away from the Not.

"No, he's not you silly ape. Energy consumption and eating are a completely different things! Rickey's fine."he said it easily and playfully, but their was a certain kind of seriousness and softness to his voice. She found herself sniffing.

"I just wan' him back."she said softly, and was surprised when the Doctor placed her gently on the street she felt her eyes water even more. He smiled, a big silly thing that was oddly soft on his rough face.

"Hey, don't worry little ape, I'll find this Rickey bloke."

She frowned at him, and didn't stop the tears going down her cheeks. Instead she looked at the Chalin, hating the dang thing as the ooze seeped down into his neck. He glared back, Mickey's pitch eyes shifting into a violet that almost glowed. She wanted to step back, but the slightly cool presence by her side held her back.

"His name is Mickey."she said firmly, and looked back toward the man. He was smiling, a little goofly, but he was serious all the same.

"Nah, I really like Rickey better. Less mouse-like."said the Doctor, moving forward and easily lifting the Not onto his shoulder. She stared at the ease, and noticed that the man was very strong despite his somewhat commonplace appearance.

"Well, can you bring him back?"

The Doctor shrugged, smiled wider, and didn't say a word. He moved to go, and when Rose started to follow him, stopped short. He raised his brows, and frowned.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"With you, obviously."she said promptly, scowling back as the older man scowled.

"And what makes you think I'm going to let you?"

"Because you have no choice, I've already been targeted twice by these things, I could be in danger, and because I'm askin' you."she said, and she hated the stupid tears that leaked out of her eyes.

The Doctor looked at her for half a beat, and then started walking. She followed and he didn't say another word.


	4. The Nots: A Big Blue Box

**The Nots: A Big Blue Box**

_1998_

He led her to a box. A big, blue box, that said 'Police'. She stared at it for half a beat, frowning as the man presented it proudly, the arm not holding the Not in place sweeping in a large gesture. Rose looked at the tall man with the gleaming eyes, and back at the box. He presented like all the boys at the estates did if they got a new motor, all chested puffed out and pride. She, just as she usually was with the boys of the estates, not impressed. Not at all.

"Time and relative dimension in space. The TARDIS."said the man happily, proudly as one would introduce their first born.

"It's a blue box."she told him dryly as he opened it. He frowned at the term, but shrugged, and gestured inside with a gleaming smile that looked a tad crazy.

Rose questioned the fact that she was following the man into a box of all things, but watching as he slipped inside easily, Not still on shoulder and hissing, she figured he wasn't _too_ mad. After all, he had saved her life. She sighed as she walked in, hand tight over the handle of the cricket bat she was glad he hadn't taken away, even though he had been eyeing it strangely the entire time. Rose felt her jaw drop as the man calmly drops the Not onto the grating of the _gigantic_ room inside the box.

"Time and relative dimension in space."supplied the Doctor, filtering the center of the room, a circular thing filled with odd bits, nobs, levers, and the like.

"It's bigger on the inside."she supplied weakly, feeling her knees shake as the man began connection wires to the Not-Mickey's head.

"Yeah."

"It's... Alien. Or magic."she said slowly.

"Quite right on the first count, though there is a certain magic to the TARDIS."he hummed, adjusting the wires as the Not tried to wiggle away from his hands.

"You're alien, then?"she asked, weakly, because he_ looked _human.

He turned to her, pausing in whatever he had been doing and raised a brow. The look in his icy eyes was definitely not human.

"Something wrong with being and alien?"

"But you have a northern accent!"she accused, and watched as another brow came to join the other one.

"Well, lots of planets have a north."he said plainly, before he turned 'round and went back to the Not.

She watched with a sense of curiosity, coming closer and raised a brow when the Not hissed and eyed her bat. She smirked at the thing lifted her bat slightly, before leaving it to rest across her shoulders, it hissed at her again.

"So, what are you doing?"

"Trying to pinpoint his host, brainwaves should lead to his energy source."he said absently, fiddling with some of the things on what seemed to be the center of the room.

She reached out gently and ran her fingertips over the knobs and ends, and was surprised at the small, warm, singing that sounded at the back of her head. She jerked her hand back. The singing seemed to give a small whine, and she placed her hands against the circle counter, stroking it in gentle circles. The song gave out a pleasant note at the back of her head, the giant thing in the center bobbed up and down. Rose giggled.

"Oi, sticky hands off the TARDIS's console."said the Doctor, moving her hand away.

She frowned.

"They're not sticky. And she liked it."she protested, an agreeing note to the song at the back of her head. The feminine voice was sweet and warm, powerful and soft.

The Doctor stared, freezing stock still.

"She?"

"Yeah, she... Or at least think she's a she..."she said seriously, and smiled at the soft, gentle song.

The Doctor tilted his head to the side.

"You're a telepath, and a strong one at that."

She frowned at his tone, still and concerned, and as he abandoned the controls to peer at her.

"You shouldn't be that strong."he mumbled, stalking closer, whipping out a thing that looked like a pen. He brought it to her face and it started making a whirling noise.

"Oi!"she said, pushing it aside.

"No, you really shouldn't be able to hear her that well... How old are you, who are your parents, are you really an alien?What year are you from?!"he asked it quick succession, and she back up, regretting her decision to follow the man.

"I'm twelve, Jackie and Pete Tyler, I'm human, 1998!"she snapped, and when he came closer, she lifted her bat, scrambling backwards to get away.

"No, no, Rose Tyler, stop! You could be in serious danger if you're this powerful of a telepath, something has to be wrong with you, humans can't be that strong in the Twentieth century, hold still! Put that bat down!" she threw the bat at his stomach, watching as it clattered to the ground and he let out a gush of air, doubling over. Well, she had put it down, just as he said!

He was blocking the door they had come through, so she ran to the nearest door, and just as the Doctor had told her before, she ran, his voice screaming at her to stop. Rose ignored it, hating herself for being that daft and following a stranger into his box, and pumped her legs as fast as they could carry her. She ran, ran, and ran, until she couldn't any longer. She collapsed, taking quick uneven breathes, and she lifted her hands above her head as she tried to get her baring. The song in the back of her head was gentle and smooth, reassuring, and she breathed deeply through her nose.

"Rose Tyler!"growled out the Doctor, and she started, scrambling back until she hit a wall.

He loomed over her, and she stared wide eyed at his serious, and she flinched back. He stilled. Like a proper alien, not breathing, not moving an inch. Rose stared at him with wide, frighten eyes and a breathing heavily, heaving really. Then, his breathe came out in a soft whoosh. Then, he was crouching down, hard face softening. His palm extended out, showing that he didn't have the strange pen, as if to reassure her of no harm. She eyed him warily for a second, as he looked at her steadily.

"None of that. I'm not going to hurt you."

"What do you mean something's wrong with me?"she asked, eyes wide.

He scrubbed his face, pinching his large nose.

"No. Maybe not... I... It's just rare. In this age human's capacity shouldn't even be able to hear the TARDIS whisper."

Rose stared at him for half a beat, before she shook her head violently. That wasn't quite right she thought.

"But she doesn't whisper. She_ sings_."at those words the TARDIS gave out a long, satisfied note, soft and sweet.

The Doctor stared at her brows lifting in surprise. Then, he gave a smile. It didn't hide the wariness to his eyes, or the worry there. He touched the wall of the TARDIS softly, looking at it with a frown.

"She does like you."

Rose nodded firmly, running her fingertips along the walls. The song was wistful and happy.

"Yeah, well I like her too."

The sat in silence for a long second, the man tugging at his earlobe.

"So... You in school?"he asked

She stared at his awkward attempt at small talk. But she answered after a beat:

"It's the summer holiday."

He blinked at her for a few seconds before he seemed to think, and nodded at her, grinning.

"So it is."

She giggled at his discovery, smiling at him, her tongue coming to poke between her teeth without her meaning to.

"What, don't aliens have the concepts of years and seasons?"

"Oh, we do, I mean, most of us do, but time is a funny thing for me. Never really happens in the right order, I mean, yesterday I was hanging onto an iceberg in the middle of Spring... But, well, I seem to be a little weak at time-sensing this time around."

"Time-sensing?"

"A little trick my people can do. I can usually tell you the date, hour right down to the millisecond. But well, new me, bad time sense. Bit of a bother really. I knew I landed late twentieth century, but that's about it for this trip."

"Landed?"

"Time relative and space. The TARDIS can travel in time and space."

"So is she a space ship or is she a time machine?"

"More like an eleven dimensional being, but yeah, she can count as a ship or a time machine. Both really."

"She's gorgeous."

"That she is."

Silence was all she heard for a beat, before the Doctor let out a sigh. It was a tired sound, and one that seemed guarded, and Rose sighed as well. His eyes were startling in the TARDIS light, icy and keen as he looked down at her. There was something in those eyes that made her frightened and feel safe all at once. It was very confusing, Rose thought, frowning and looking at her hands in her lap. Yesterday morning her biggest worry was how to unstick her bum from her shorts in the heat, and now it was trying to find Mickey and prevent him from being eaten... Or energy drained.

"This was not how I expected to spend my day."mused the Doctor, echoing her thoughts.

She looked at him with a raised brow.

"What, expected to walk around on Mars?"she asked, and was surprised at his laugh.

"Actually, I wanted to drift in Jupiter's Red Spot today. Nearly a seven hundred years of traveling, and I still haven't gotten to do that. But, of course, the TARDIS decided to be cross today. Good thing too. Can't have these... 'Nots' wondering around London."

"If it helps I didn't really expect my day to be this either."she said, and she gestured to the corridor with a grimace.

He nodded carefully.

"I wonder why it keeps coming back to you Rose... You say it was your friend out there?"he asked, and he sounded, wary, if curious.

She nods, and shrugs her shoulders.

"Mickey Smith. Been my mate since before I can remember."

"Isn't he a little old to be hanging around a twelve year old?"

"I would say the same thing to you, Mister Seven-Hundred Years of Traveling."she said with a snort, and he grinned.

"Point."

The silence settled over them again. And Rose absently picked at a frayed bit of string on the edge of her jeans.

"What's going to happen to him?"

The Doctor did not answer, only shrugged. Rose looked at her feet in defeat.

"Come on."he said instead, and she took his hand and she was lead back to the first room.

She hummed back at the TARDIS, and looked at the struggling Not with distrust as soon as they had come back. It hissed at her.

"Bloody Brat."

"Stupid, ugly thing."she responded back tartly.

The Doctor shook his head and grinned at the screen as it let out a soft whistle.

"I got it!"

Extending his hand, he wiggled his hand in front of her.

"So, Miss Rose, you fancy a rescue?"he asked, waggling his brows.

Looking at the Not, and looking back at him, thinking of Mickey, Rose could say only one thing:

"You bet you're seven hundred year old arse!"

"Oi! One, no swearing on the TARDIS. Two, I'm nine-hundred, thank you very much! And three, well, fantastic!"he said with a mad grin.

He took her hand, and they ran.


End file.
